Zonta Club of Hilo Awards $15K in Scholarships

A Big Island organization whose mission is to empower women and girls through service and advocacy recently awarded several scholarships.

“The Zonta Club of Hilo is pleased to award $15,000 in scholarships this spring,” the club’s scholarship chairperson Nina Buchanan said in a press release.

Scholarships and those who won them are:

• Women’s Nursing Degree Scholarship recipients from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo are Alyssa Faletoi, Darah Olaso and Ashley Rynkewicz. Recipients from Hawai‘i Community College are Franchesca Campbell, Allison Enomoto and Rachael Meisner. Each awardee received $1,000.
• The $5,000 Barbra An Pleadwell Scholarship recipient is Harmony Ahin-Ganir.
• The $1,400 Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship recipient is Lindsay Emerson.
• Young Woman in Public Affairs Award recipients are Denby Nagata, who received $1,200; Lehia Coloma, who was awarded $1,000; Misty Cruden, who won $500; and Mia Tulang, who received $300.

“Thank you so much for your generosity and kindness,” Denby Nagata told the club in a thank you card, according to the press release. “Your donation will help my family and me greatly in covering the cost of tuition. I will push myself and do my best to make you all proud.”

Lindsay Emerson and Nagata were also advanced from the club level to compete for additional awards and scholarships at Zonta’s district and international levels.

To learn more about Zonta Club of Hilo’s scholarships and awards, click here. To support the club foundation in providing future scholarships, click here.